32 research outputs found
Pre-service teachers' experiences of learning to teach culturally inclusive science.
No full textM. Ed. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 2013.Pre-service teachers training at tertiary institutions are expected to adapt to and implement curriculum changes in several subjects, including Natural Sciences, which are designed by the Department of Basic Education. According to the new Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) for Natural Sciences (2011), teachers are expected to embrace indigenous knowledge systems (IKS) in order to deliver culturally inclusive science lessons. Specific aim three in the Natural Sciences curriculum (CAPS, 2011) postulates the inclusion of indigenous knowledge systems and states that learners should understand the different cultural contexts in which indigenous knowledge systems were developed. However, a review of literature indicates that this is not being practiced in many schools because teachers do not have adequate knowledge, background and teacher education to integrate culture rooted in indigenous knowledge systems in their science lessons. At the tertiary institution where my study was located, pre-service teachers were being taught to infuse cultural knowledge rooted in IKS in science lessons.
This qualitative case study sought to explore 20 purposefully selected pre-service teachers' experiences and views of learning to teach culturally inclusive science in a pedagogic content knowledge module at a tertiary institution in KwaZulu-Natal. In this study, culturally inclusive science included school science which engages with alternate knowledge systems, which are rooted in indigenous knowledge systems. This research used an interpretive paradigm with multiple data generating methods which comprised of reflective journals, video recorded observations, document analysis, focus groups, and individual interviews in order to understand pre-service teachers' experiences and views of learning to teach a culturally inclusive science which is embedded in indigenous knowledge systems. Drawing on the constructs of socio-cultural theory and the Zone of Proximal Development, pre-service teachers‟ learning experiences were analysed. Content analysis was used to analyse the data obtained. Categories were developed with meaningful words, phrases and sentences. Thereafter, patterns, trends and links were established, and finally conclusions were developed. The findings included pre-service teachers‟ views and experiences of the integration of culture whilst learning to teach science. Pre-service teachers express two broad views regarding the integration of culture. The first view was the lack of integration of cultural knowledge, rooted in IKS, in Natural Sciences content modules. The second view related to the potential benefits of the integration of cultural knowledge in science lessons.
The experiences of pre-service teachers' learning to teach culturally inclusive science revealed both challenges and opportunities. The pre-service teachers involved in this research expressed a lack of cultural knowledge rooted in IKS, insufficient teacher education, a lack of resources, time constraints, and inadequate details provided by the CAPS document as challenges. In spite of these challenges, the pre-service teachers who participated in this study expressed that working in groups and the use of external human resources were opportunities for them to learn to teach culturally inclusive science.
Recommendations which evolved from insights from this study were directed to teacher education institutions, curriculum designers and university educators
Exploring how the national COVID-19 pandemic policy and its application exposed the fault lines of educational inequality
No full textIn the wake of Covid-19, a flurry of surveys in education were conducted. These revealed alarming statistics about most learners losing half of the academic year, parents’ angst about sending children to school, and a small fraction of higher education institutions being able to leverage affordances of technology for effective online teaching and learning. As our right to breathe, eat and learn became suffocated, we were urged to re-imagine possibilities for resurrection, for mitigating current and future education “losses”. Deafened by the varied cacophony from teacher and student unions, school governing body representatives, scientists and education experts, the government with its departments of education decided to close education institutions and this coincided with the hard lockdown. Against this background, we use the lens of critical policy analysis (CPA), to explore the decision-making of education departments. In this qualitative study, a critical lens was used to reveal the magnification of the fault lines of educational iniquity and inequity as departments of education made decisions to close and reopen institutions. Multiple data generation methods included a key informant interview with a senior official from the Department of Education, a survey among school personnel, and document analysis. The findings revealed a tension between expectations of producers of policy and recipients of policy, within unequal school settings. A repositioning, by peering through the lens of the dispossessed to inform future policy, is recommended
An exploration of pre-service science and mathematics teachers' use of visualisation in a problem solving context : a case study at a South African university.
No full textMaster of Education in Science Education. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Edgewood 2015.The poor performance of learners in Science and Mathematics in South Africa is a persistent cause
for concern to stakeholders in education, and to society at large. Teacher training institutes form
crucial stakeholders in Science and Mathematics education. This has been the underlying
motivation for this case study, which is based on an exploration of pre-service Science and
Mathematics teachers’ use of visualisation within a problem solving context. The study is
grounded in the interpretivist paradigm. The purpose of this study stems from anecdotal evidence
that has showed teachers’ reluctance to teach problem solving because they are unequipped and/or
not confident in solving problems.
The exploration of pre-service Science and Mathematics teachers’ use of visualisation in a problem
solving context revolved around the following critical questions: 1. What do pre-service Science
and Mathematics teachers understand by problem solving within a visualisation context? 2. Why
do pre-service Science and Mathematics teachers choose to use the visualisation strategies they
use when teaching problem solving? 3. How do pre-service Science and Mathematics teachers
plan the use of visualisation when preparing their lessons? The framework used to guide this study
falls within the interpretivist paradigm and the theory used is the metacognition theory. This theory
refers to a higher order of thinking and, simply put, thinking about thinking. In this study, it was
analysed how pre-service teachers view their teaching and what their understanding of
visualisation is within a problem solving context.
The pilot group comprised five pre-service Science and Mathematics teachers at a South African
teacher training institute who were registered for two modules, namely Natural Science Method
Two, and Mathematics Method Two. These modules include the teaching of problem solving. A
purposive sample population of eighty pre-service teachers were invited to participate in this
project, and twelve completed part of the project, while five pre-service teachers participated until
the conclusion of the project.
A qualitative methodological approach was used and pre-service teachers participated in four
stages of data collection. Firstly, a semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect the
biographical data of the participating pre-service teachers, and their understanding of problem
solving and visualisation. Secondly, a task sheet was administered, which included a Science as
well as a Mathematics selection of problems for the pre-service teachers to solve. All problems
were purposively selected because visualisation methods could have been used to solve them. This
tool was used to decipher what visualisation strategies pre-service teachers use when solving
problems and why they use these strategies. Thirdly, a lesson plan was developed by participants
to enable an exploration of how they taught problem solving using visualisation, as well as what
cognitive processes they used to incorporate visualisation into problem solving. The fourth stage
involved engaging participants in individual, face-to-face interviews. Semi structured interview
schedules were used for both interviews. All responses were analysed and focused on the three
research questions. The findings revealed that the majority of the pre-service teachers understood
visualisation as a set of teaching aids that made solving problems easier. The majority of
participating pre-service teachers solved Mathematics problems accurately when they used a
combination of diagrams and formulae. The responses to the Science problems revealed that the
majority of participating pre-service teachers used formulae instead of diagrams to solve them.
However, the opposite scenario was presented by these participants when they generated their
lesson plans. A greater variety of visualisation strategies were used in the Science lesson plans
than in the Mathematics lesson plans.
The findings show that the use of visualisation in problem solving helped pre-service teachers
solve Science and Mathematics problems successfully. It is anticipated that the pre-service
teachers will take this finding and make use of it in their classes in the near future, which should
in turn develop more competent problem solvers at schooling level
Towards decolonising a unit of work in the curriculum: exploring the inclusion of scientists of non-western descent in the science curriculum, by pre-service teachers.
No full textMasters Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban.Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statements of 2010, was established after 1994 to deal with several things such as gender and racial inequalities in education. However, women and individuals of non-western descent continue to be under-represented in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) careers, while white, euro-western men dominate in these fields. This study provided an opportunity to pre-service teachers to analyse the school science curriculum in South Africa. To develop a lesson plan based on a unit of work in the science curriculum in which they could incorporate scientists of non-western descent. This qualitative study was located in critical and decolonial theory. Data generation involved; document analysis of lesson plans which pre-service teachers were instructed to develop within groups and individual interviews which were conducted via WhatsApp. Participants were sampled from the registered stream of students in the Natural Sciences 211 module of the first semester of the 2020 academic year. The implication of the findings was that white euro-western male scientists continue to be perpetuated as the holders of scientific knowledge in school science education. This study concludes by proposing that curriculum designers portray males and females of non-western descent as equal producers of scientific knowledge, therefore addressing the colonial nature of the school science curriculum. In this way, more conducive environments for science teaching and learning will be attained, and possibly advance female and non-western representation and participation in STEM fields
Exploring how Science teachers engage in curriculum innovating in environment and sustainability education.
No full textDoctoral Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban.Life Sciences and Natural Sciences teachers are expected to adapt and to implement curriculum changes that are designed by the Department of Basic Education. The new Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) for Life Sciences and Natural Sciences stipulates that teachers are expected to integrate environment and sustainability content knowledge in their science teaching. In order for this to materialise, a specialised multi-pronged approach is necessary. It is argued that teachers work in diverse contexts and need to be innovative in order to teach science that is relevant to the lives of learners. I argue that effective professional development incorporating innovation can enable teachers to successfully teach environment and sustainability education.
This study was located within a critical paradigm which was underpinned by a qualitative approach. This study involved ten practicing Life Sciences/Natural Sciences teachers who were purposively selected to form the research sample. These participants were part of the Science and Mathematics Education Honours programme and studied a module which required them to engage with the idea and practice of curriculum innovating, as part of the programme. The study was conducted at a teacher training institution in Kwa-Zulu Natal.
This qualitative case study sought to explore the experiences and challenges of participants as they engaged in curriculum innovating in environment and sustainability education. The factors that enabled or constrained participants’ efforts to engage in curriculum innovating were also examined. This study also focused on the role of professional development in capacity building for the purpose of curriculum innovating.
Drawing on the theoretical constructs of Vygotsky’s Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD), Rogan’s Zone of Feasible Innovation (ZFI) and Vygotsky’s Engagement Theory the experiences and challenges of participants were analysed. Multiple data generation strategies were employed, namely: individual interviews, reflective journals, photo narratives and document analysis. Content analysis was used to analyse the data sets that emerged from the data generation strategies. The use of coding was employed to develop categories and patterns within the data sets. The findings included challenges and experiences of curriculum innovating in environment and sustainability education. A key finding was that participants expressed a need for the inclusion of innovating in more of the modules of the Honours programme. Findings from this study also revealed that the individual school context,
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resources and support from Heads of Department (HODs) were factors that enabled or constrained participants in their efforts to engage in curriculum innovating. The study provides insights into how a professional development module can provide teachers with strategies for critically appraising their context, thinking deeply about the type of support they need and how this can be leveraged, planning lessons in order to prepare for curriculum innovating, engaging more knowledgeable others to critique their lesson plans, implementing new strategies and reflecting on their experiences. The participants reported feeling renewed, refreshed, re-invigorated and intrinsically motivated to experiment with new ideas in order to engage in curriculum innovating.
Recommendations from this study will be significant to curriculum designers, higher education department officials involved in teacher professional development, teacher education institutions and school teachers
Exploring gender representations in selected science textbooks.
No full textMasters Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban.South African education policies such as Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statements of 2010, and legislation such as National Education Policy Act of 1997, and South African Schools Act of 1996, were established after 1994 to deal with (among other things) gender inequalities in education. However, women continue to be under-represented in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) careers, while men dominate in these fields. This study provides the analysis of selected science textbooks that are used to teach science in South Africa, to establish if science textbooks could be the reason for women’s under-representation in STEM fields. This qualitative study was located in the critical paradigm and Critical Discourse Analysis was adopted as the method of data generation and analysis. The sample comprised of four purposefully selected science textbooks that are used for teaching and learning from the Intermediate Phase to Further Education and Training phase in the South African context. The Feminist Post-Structuralist Discourse Analysis was used as a lens to guide the interpretation of the findings. The implication of the findings is that science education continues to be permeated with patriarchy. Science teachers have the responsibility to critically evaluate science textbooks to verify whether they are gender inclusive or possess gender bias. In the cases where there is evidence of gender bias, teachers need to point out the bias to the learners. They must then work with learners to develop strategies of how to resist symbolic violence and political ideology presented by print media. This study concludes by proposing that science textbooks portray males and females as producers of scientific knowledge and as possessors of scientific inventions, to address masculinist science that is presented in patriarchal view. In this way conducive environments for science teaching and learning will be attained, and possibly advance women’s representation and participation in STEM fields
Exploring university-community engagement by pre-service Science teachers through the study of a Biology module.
No full textDoctoral Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban.Abstract available in PDF
Exploring how Science teachers engage with the curriculum to teach socially responsive Science.
No full textMasters Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban.Abstract available in PDF
Exploration of use of the science resource centre by physical sciences teachers.
No full textThesis (M.Ed.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2012.Science Resource Centres (SRCs) were initiated by an educational non-governmental organisation in various districts of the province of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa. These SRCs were intended to assist with professional development of Physical Sciences and Mathematics teachers, and to assist the under-resourced schools of KwaZulu-Natal with science resources, including Physical Sciences experiment kits, physics and chemistry apparatus and other educational resources. Science resources encompassed specialists, objects, policies and facilities to enhance the teaching of Physical Sciences. These science resources were usually coupled with professional development programmes that addressed content knowledge and effective use of science equipment through workshops on specific science topics and classroom support to teachers. Workshops were funded by the SRCs, and the focus was on physics and chemistry topics that teachers found challenging to teach. This study explored the use of the SRC by Physical Sciences teachers of the Empangeni education district in KwaZulu-Natal, and also aimed to determine whether the SRC was serving its intended purpose.
In gathering data this qualitative study utilised individual interviews with Physical Sciences teachers whose schools were affiliated to the SRC. Document analysis produced data with regard to the frequency of loaning of science equipment by Physical Sciences teachers.
The findings of this study revealed that the level of pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) development of Physical Sciences teachers was one of the key factors that influenced the use of science resources in science teaching.
This emerged through an analysis of teachers’ PCK, specifically using the frames of Content Representations (CoRes) and Pedagogical and Professional experience Repertoires (PaP-eRs). Lack of support from school management, lack of funding for affiliation and shortage of resources at the SRC were some of the factors that had an impact on use of the SRC by Physical Sciences teachers
Exploring learners' participation in school environmental clubs.
No full textM. Ed. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 2013.The United Nations declared 2005–2014 to be the Decade of Education for Sustainable Development. Environmental clubs (ECs) within an education system could play an important role in making positive change for sustainable environmental development in a society, by offering learners environmental knowledge and practical activities that they can participate in. This participation strategy is different from the learners receiving direct instructions on what to do from a teacher. The research questions that underpin this research are: Why do learners participate in environmental clubs and how do learners participate in environmental clubs? The theoretical framework that underpins this research is an adaption of the Contextual Model of Learning (CML) where learning is inextricably linked to participation. The CML is used to address the participation of learners which flows from the basic elements of personal, sociocultural and physical contexts, which overlap with one another. Insights from Agarwal’s typology of participation (2001) also inform the design and analysis of this study. This qualitative study is located in an interpretivist paradigm. The research sites were two schools in KwaZulu-Natal which had established environmental clubs. Executive members from the environmental club from one school, and executive and non-executive club members from another school, were purposively selected to form the sample in this study. Data collection methods comprised semi-structured interviews and observations. Data was analysed using the constructs from the CML as well as Agarwal’s (2001) typology of participation.
The findings of this study are presented using the frames of sociocultural, physical and personal contexts, as explicated in the CML. The findings provide insight into how learners as EC members, participate in non-sequential learning, based on their prior knowledge, interests, and experiences. Their societies’ influence about what is valuable learning, within and outside of groups, as well as ways in which they navigate their learning environments physically and intellectually, offer insights into how and why learners participate in environmental clubs. Based on these findings, recommendations related learners’ participation in ECs are made
